Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-09-07
The far,n aud fireside.
HISTORY Of WHEAT.
Asa staple article of food and comm

AS staple TttCle VI lOUu duu CoLAHS.SS,
wheat has been known from the earliest
ages. 1t is not known to exist IN other
than a cultivated state, It is supposed to
have originated in Central Asia, but recent
discoveries have thrown some doubt on
that point. NJ. Fabre, of France, a dlstln-
guished naturalist, made the discovery
several years ago that the Ayhops ovata,
a grass of the region near the Mediterra-
mean, and of the west of Asia, becomes
transformed by cultivation into wheat.
The possibility of such a transformation
has been confirmed by subsequent observ-
atoms and experiments.
Wheat was a chiefcrop in ancient Egypt
and Palestine, and is more frequently
mentioned in Scripture than any other
kind of grain, where its bountlful yleld
and its important relations to the susten-
ance of human life afford atheme for many
beautiful lessons.
The granaries of Egypt and other Gen.
tres Of ancient civilization were often OF
immense size and We're conspicuous o.
jects among the public edifices of the time.
Grains of wheat have been fOund in the
wrappings of Egyptian mummies which
had retained their power of termination
through the lapse of centuries.
Although the Greeks, and more partlcu-
larly the Spartans, affected to despise agrl-
culture as q degrading pursuit, they. were
obliged to devote considerable attention 10
wheat raising as q means of livelihood.
Hesoid, one of the earliest Greek poets, in
his 'sWorks and Days." makes frequent
mention of wheat. Among the Romans,
wheat-raising, in common with other
branches of agriculture, was prosecuted
with vigor and success. Roman writer's
on agriculture gave particular directions
in regard to the cultivation OF wheat. IL
is mentioned by Virgil in his "Georgics."
Wheat was early introduced into great
Britain, but until very recent times It's
production was so limited that only the
Weather classes could afford to use 1t as
food. Mention was made of the fact that
in the eighth century the monks OF the
abbey of st. Edmund, in England, are
barley-bread because the income of the
abbey was not sufficient to admit OF tnelr
using wheat. In England, down to the
close of the seventeenth century, servants
and other working people We're Obliged TO
content themselves with bread made from
the coarser grains. Eden, in his History
of the Poor" Q797 says: $50 small was
the quantity of wheat used in the county
of Cumberland, that it was only a rich
family that used a peck of wheat IN the
course of the year, and that was used at
Christmas. The usual treat for a stranger
a thick oat cake Called haver% 6annoch)
and butter. One old laborer remark that
when he was a boy he was at Carlisle mar
ket with his father, and wishing to indulge
himself with q penny loaf made OF wheat
GE.our, he searched for it for some time,
but could not procure a piece OF Wheaten
bread at any shop in town."
At that period of the Revolution in 1859,
the quantity of wheat grown in England
was estimated at about IA, DOC, 900 bushels,
or about three bushels to each of the pop
ulation, which was then under five mil
lion. In 1880 the product of wheat in
England and Scotland was estimated at
100, GOO, 900 bushels.
In 1880 the area of wheat growing in the
United States was 34,43O, 1873 acres and the
yield was $50, 4s3, 1877 bushels, or 10 bushels
to the acre. The value of the crop was
estimated at $4S2,457, 299. The increase
in production between 1870 and 1880 was
nearly sixty per cent.
MANAGING MISUNDERSTANDING some
farmers there is a complaint that their
horse manure 'ire fangs," or passes
through the heating process which is so in
tense that the manure is we'll burned up.
This is exceedingly injurious to the ma
nure, and can, and should he prevented.
1t occurs, or is liable to occur, when the
manure is thrown loosely into a pile, and
without being disturbed, will commence to
generate heart. Horse manure has a
stronger tendency in that direction than
that Of most any other animal, and this
can be prevented, and the value OF the
manure maintained, if attended to as it
should be. There is no trouble where, as
is sometimes the case, horse manure is
cast into the hog pen, as it is then worked
over with the hog manure, whereby both
are improved. Another method which is
equally as effectual in preventing heating,
is to cart the same under a shed, where
cattle are accustomed to tread or to lie
when packed thus closely, and wet, as it
occasionally must be, by the urine of ami
mails, it is kept moist until wanted for use.
The same practice in connection with
sheep wouldbe valuable, and equally as ef-
fectual. We have always found that any
manure that is left to itself, thrown loose
ly into a pile, was liable to become heated,
but when packed tightly under the tread
of animals, would be preserved with all
its manureal value retained. Sheep ma
nure, while thus kept closely packed, ex-
cludes the air, will not heat, but when
loosely pitched into a pile will 500 heat
and expel the valuable elements of fer
tility.